Murray Wood: Who's hot... and who's not
Every Friday, Murray Wood takes a look back at the week's news and decides who's hot... and who's not. This week's list ...
Celebrations at Chabad Jewish Centre of Saskatoon’s menorah lighting event at Remai Modern this afternoon will be all the more poignant in the aftermath of the terrorist attack in Australia today, where at least 11 people were killed at a Hannukah event.
The lighting of the menorah — a multi-branched candelabra used in the religious rituals of Judaism — is a display of Jewish pride with a powerful message of the triumph of light over darkness, centre director Rabbi Raphael Kats told CKOM News on Friday.
Read more:
- ‘Vile act of violence’: Gunmen kill at least 11 people in terrorist attack at Hannukah event in Australia
- Hamas confirms the death of a top commander in Gaza after Israeli strike
The free event, at 4:30 p.m., is open to the public and everyone of any faith is welcome.
Kats said the Hannukah message resonates far beyond the Jewish community.
“The public menorah lighting gathering brings people of all faiths and backgrounds together in celebration, especially today’s context of rising antisemitism and global tensions.
“It highlights our country’s and our city’s dedication to preserve and encourage the right and liberty of everybody to worship God freely, openly and with pride,” he said.
Kats explained that Hanukkah is an annual festival of lights that begins this year on the evening of Dec. 14 and ends on the evening of Dec. 22.
It commemorates a pivotal moment in Jewish history.
“It was 165 B.C. when the Maccabees, which were a small group of Jewish warriors, successfully ousted the oppressive Seleucid Syrian-Greek Empire,” Kats explained.
“At that time, the Syrian Greek forces were actively suppressing Jewish religious observances, and they attempted to force Hellenistic culture and beliefs on the Jewish people.
“They desecrated the Holy Temple in Jerusalem, and they sought to eradicate Jewish cultural and religious uniqueness. After reclaiming the temple, the Maccabees found only one small jug of pure, undefiled oil with enough oil to light the temple’s menorah for just one day.” he said.
“Miraculously, the single jar of oil burned for eight full days, which was the time needed to prepare new ritually pure oil. So we consider this a miracle, and it’s considered divine intervention, symbolizing hope, spiritual triumph and resilience.”
Kats said the story is about more than just a military victory.
“It represents a struggle to preserve religious identity, traditions, spiritual practices in the face of oppression,” he said.
“It’s a holiday that’s imbued with the message of liberty, freedom and the victory of light over darkness. And the way that we celebrate it is we light the menorah.
“Each night of the eight-day holiday, families light an additional candle on the menorah. We sing special prayers. There are special blessings that are recited ahead of the lighting.
“We eat foods fried in oil, such as potato latkes and sufganiyot (jelly donuts) that symbolize the miracle of the oil.”
Kats said that people also play a game with a dreidel, a traditional spinning top with Hebrew letters during Hannukah.
Saskatoon Mayor Cynthia Block will be attending the event to help light the 20-foot menorah, and Kats said there will be menorah kits available for sale.
There will also be live klezmer music, Hanukkah delicacies such as jelly doughnuts and fried potato pancakes, and arts and crafts for children and there will be increased security and police presence throughout the event.
Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe posted his support for the Jewish community on X on Sunday, decrying the “horrifying” attack:
The antisemitic attacks at the beginning of Hanukkah in Australia are horrifying.
— Scott Moe (@PremierScottMoe) December 14, 2025
Saskatchewan stands with the Jewish community and mourns the lives lost.
We will always stand against antisemitism, hate and violence.
